(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a process for preparing a polyurethane foam handle having a woodgrain finish by injecting a polyurethane foam-forming starting material into a sealed mold and blowing and curing the starting material.
(2) Description of the Prior Art
A wooden handle has been used as a high-grade handle of a motor vehicle, but since the cost of the wooden handle is high, a plastic handle having a woodgrain finish and an appearance similar to that of the wooden handle has been broadly used. Most of conventional plastic handles having a woodgrain finish are formed of a rigid polyurethane foam, and these handles are prepared by placing a core in a mold having a woodgrain pattern formed on the surface, injecting a rigid polyurethane foam-forming starting material into the mold, blowing and curing the starting material to obtain a handle having a woodgrain pattern formed on the outer side, and finish-coating the handle to impart a woodgrain finish to the handle.
However, when these wooden handles and rigid polyurethane foam handles having a woodgrain finish are subjected to the impact test according to the method MVSS-203 of the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards, cracking is caused and cracked pieces having sharp edges are formed, thus offering, a serious problem with respect to the safety.